Empires Fall Slowly
by Panda-Cake23
Summary: Side-story to 'Blanco'. While Gokudera and Yamamoto are held captive, Tsuna and the Family reside in the Vongola underground base. What happens when the situation calls for the Varia's involvement as well?
1. Tamed

Hi everybody :]

Well, as promised, I present you all the long awaited for, Xanxus x Tsuna fanfiction.

Summary: Side-story to 'Blanco'. While Gokudera and Yamamoto are held captive, Tsuna and the Family reside in the Vongola underground base. What happens when the situation calls for the Varia's involvement as well?

Disclaimer: 'Katekyo Hitman Reborn!' does not belong to me and neither does the song 'Empires Fall Slowly'.

Warnings: Yaoi, language and there might be some violence. Individual warnings will be added in each chapter if needed.

For those of you who haven't read 'Blanco', some of this might not make any sense. But seeing as I tried to make this story stand for itself, I hope it will be good enough. Though I still warmly recommend reading 'Blanco' first.

This might be 'Blanco's side story, but it's contents are much lighter. The story about Tsuna and the group's stay in the Vongola's future base while Xanxus and the Varia come as reinforcements.

* * *

><p><strong>Empires Fall Slowly<strong>

Down in the maze of steel walled corridors of the Vongola base, a certain unsuspecting group of people was gathered. As the conclusion of the last series of events, the people involved moved from their different locations to occupy one of the base's many large enough rooms that could easily fit them all in comfortably.

As it seemed, the current head of the Vongola mafia family, Sawada Tsunayoshi, and the rest of the Vongola's tenth generation arrived back at base. Whether it was after finding Kyoko, returning from a lookout out of base or just simply from arriving at a known place during an unknown time like a confused Hibari recently had, all were there.

As the room began to fill, the more quick-witted of the group currently assembling slowly started noticing that something was not quite right. It took longer for even the people on the more than simply naive side to see the rising problem as well. The exact time it took all the inhabitants to fully understand and comprehend the problematic situation that was rapidly forming was precisely the amount of time that took them to realize that no more family members were going to arrive in the already occupied room.

The numbers didn't truly match, seeing as two key members, vital and irreplaceable, were painfully missing from the shortly arranged gathering.

It was the last family member that arrived through the door with a solemn look across his face that closed the door and caught the attention of all the residing members in the room. As Shamal stepped through the room with a heavy atmosphere carrying around him with every step he took, he looked up and raised his right hand at the mouths he could see beginning to open in obvious questions that he was already about to answer, successfully managing to stop the array of interrogating utterances.

"According to a recent intelligence update, I am entitled to make this statement of the situation." the Doctor said, his voice clear and carrying through the room with surprising lightness, "As of 14:23 today, two of the family members, known by the names of Gokudera Hayato and Yamamoto Takeshi, otherwise known as the Vongola's tenth generation's Storm and Rain guardians, went MIA as a result of an encounter with the Millefiore's Black Spell 3rd attack squad, Gamma.

"Considering the inevitable loss that overshadowed a fight to try and stop their capture, none of the men following could do anything but return with the information as soon as possible. Following was not an option without completely exposing themselves, thus resulting in uncovering their disguise and failing to follow the specific orders given to them."

Everyone looked at him, expecting him to keep on talking, but the report was done, no more formal statements were to be told by him so he kept quiet.

It was then that the family's current Outside Adviser stepped forward to add to the situation's factors before anyone could actually manage to process the entire state of happening. "It might take a few days, but it is positively known that we can track their whereabouts." Basil said intently, his eyes burning passionately while faced with the eminent challenge.

His two best friends were missing. They would not be sleeping next room that night. Still not fully grasping the complete disaster that had fallen upon them, Tsuna understood one thing. Together with Reborn's supporting glance, he could understand that rushing forward was not an option at the moment and it was required of them to wait for the information promised to them by Basil. More than that would probably cause for more misfortunes than they are able to currently suffer.

It was the sequence of supporting words coming from Reborn that only he could hear as they were whispered in his ear that made his heart completely accept the unnaturally rational decision. Telling him that had the Millefiore wished for the duo's deaths, they would have already done so without going trough the trouble of capturing them and taking them back to the base while simultaneously risking possible exposure to the Vongola's spies and resources. They were not the most comforting of words, but they definitely did the job of calming the itch he felt in his entire body to break through the ceiling and make a suicidal rush to save his guardians.

"And when we do actually track them, we make peace offers?" Hibari said mockingly, too reluctant to believe in anything at the moment. Tsuna's face focused on the threatening teen as he was brought back from his musings to realize that there was more to the situation than simply waiting in silence.

"We don't negotiate." said Bianchi in a hard voice that left no place for arguments from the teens' opinion on the matter.

"Why not?" Ryohei asked naively, preceding anyone who might have wanted to ask the same question. And there had been some of those in the room, just missing their moment to the perhaps most impulsive one of the group.

"We just don't.'" replied another, and all turned their heads to see who was the one that said it. Surprisingly, it was someone less than recognized among the younger generation, but as they noticed the lack of suspicion from their future Family members, they stood quiet in his speech. He kept talking at the demanding expressions he got. "Boss died in one of these meetings. With all his trust at the good nature of people, he naively allowed himself to be an easy enough target to simply shoot down." The unknown person was looking at anyone and anything as he spoke, his gaze purposely missing just the one person he was talking about. "We can now see that peace talks and negotiations just don't work with these kind of people."

"What do you mean by that. How could you know that for sure?" Tsuna was hanging on a thread to the only gleam of hope he could see. It might be what killed his future self, but he just couldn't see the reason to the inhuman acts of the Millefiore. There had to be a reason, there always was. And under certain conditions, some reasons could be dealt with through peaceful manners.

"You might not understand that now, but you'll see soon enough." Shamal continued from his spot in the room with a pained expression. One that the young ones had yet to associate with him, remembering his usual calm and untouchable aura. "You'll just have to trust us on this one."

Fuuta, who saw the young ones have not been satisfied with the answers they got yet, sighed heavily, drawing attention to himself.

"Look," he said, drawing even more attention while he talked as he looked at the door with a dispassionate, empty and devoid of any thought and feeling expression. Almost as if he wished he wasn't a part of the discussion. "The Millefiore wants to kill us. It's as simple as that. We have something that they want and they won't compromise. They kill our Family and they murder our friends, they take our lovers and torture our brothers. That's just the way that Family works." he hated to be the one who brings the news to the kids, but someone had to be the one do it sooner or later. He preferred it to be sooner.

Fuuta just looked to the side as his voice grew distant the longer his statement drew. Suddenly self conscious and realizing that they have brought up some really unpleasant memories to not only Fuuta but the others from the future as well, the younger generation silently decided to stop their questioning about the subject all at once.

All except one.

"So what are you saying? That there is no way to bring them back?" Hibari asked impatiently, more annoyed by the lack of attempts than anything else. The tone of defeat in the others' voice did not go well with him. Do they just give up? Just like that, two family members would be left behind? Obviously, _he _was not worried about anything else that the others in the room might have been worried about, but were they that short of means to actually send a rescue party?

"Of course there is." Reborn stated simply, not even bothered by the unexpected question from the normally quiet and uninvolved Hibari. "If they don't understand words, which is what we already know, then they would definitely understand actions."

As the room's every current residents' eyes and attention was solely concentrated on the arcobaleno, he spoke the one last decision that had been made out loud for all to hear and accept.

"Today, the Millefiore took two of our precious and irreplaceable Family members." he tilted his head forward slightly, his fedora hid his soft featured face as he finished his statement with much more than his normal serious tone. "But as soon as we can we'll take them back."

Two words were left unsaid by their obvious placement in the sharply spoken sentence –

'…by force'.

* * *

><p>Unbeknownst to the young family from the past, a call had been made to reinforce the need to have the boys rescued as soon as possible. The target of the call who had been so easily trusted with the task of retrieving the family members from their enemies hands was, in it's own way, more than capable of following through with this mission.<p>

At the moment, these were Xanxus and his Varia who were in the middle of realizing the implication of the message they received to arrive at the main underground base, followed by explanations of the recent events and detailed reports with every information they needed to understand what exactly they had been called out of their own base for.

The varied voices all had the aspect of insanity to them as they seemingly raced around themselves with glee at the new and refreshing order. From one's mouth to another person's ear, they managed to explore the state of everything that was happening and fill the blanks without needing many details to work with.

"Two of the brats were kidnapped." one said.

"Brats?" another asked.

"The Tenth's generation, they say." someone's eye twitched violently in the background.

"Which ones?"

"It seems that they were the storm and the rain."

"Oh really?" a cunning voice hoarsely asked. "Those, uh? Who took them?"

"The Black Spell."

"Is there a name?" another with a rational voice asked.

"It was that Gamma." someone supplied, uncaring "They're in for it now, aren't they?"

"Yeah they are, should have been more careful shishishi."

And that was it.

No longer willing to allow idiots to continue wasting his air, the leader of the odd group of people finally spoke, his voice still filled with rage as much as it was ten years prior, and unsurprisingly even more so.

"Shut your traps scum and get going with the packing." he growled into the room, successfully making every mouth close with the order "Well? What are you waiting for, trash? GO!"

Throwing his empty whiskey glass at the closest head he could see did well with the impact of his barked order. No one hesitated to run as quick as their could, each in their own direction.

Away from the madman named Xanxus.

* * *

><p>For the first time in what was seemingly a long amount of time, the Vongola family's tenth boss and his six guardians were suffering through the complete separation that tore through their hearts. Well, at least some of them.<p>

After the 'meeting' had come to an end and all the unknown guests had returned the their unknown locations, the rest of the family had also went back to active working, helping or simply waiting. As night crept and most had allowed themselves to retreat to their respected rooms, the atmosphere going through the place was that of restless determination.

The two missing boys were the particular reason for everyone's strong emotions. The thought of them being anywhere that was not even remotely close sent the ones who knew them into fits of unsatisfied anger.

Sawada Tsunayoshi, for example, could not find in himself the most basic ability of falling asleep. This most likely resulted his self torture of blaming himself for his friends' capture. Still, it was happening regardless of his knowledge that there was nothing he could to the neither help nor prevent anything that might or might not be happening at the moment.

And while in every situation like this was a self conscious one, like Tsuna, there was also the one who took on the more oblivious role. Thankfully, as young as Lambo was he really didn't need to be anymore involved in the situation than he already was.

Perhaps being expected to fair as much as the Bovino in this field, Sasagawa Ryohei was showing immensely surprising realization to his surroundings for once as he laid in bed, hoping for the best and promising himself to work twice as hard in the two's absence to fill the gap and allow Tsuna to worry only about finding the others without worrying about the rest of their family's security.

All in all, the quiet tension was known to be broken by an entirely unexpected force in the near enough future.

* * *

><p>Xanxus sat at the Varia base in the dark, a bottle of whiskey held tightly in his right hand. Many thoughts about today's request went through his head. It was his opinion on a certain Vongola from the past that he was supposed to be meeting soon that took over his everything, though.<p>

He, of all people, should know how long 10 years could really be.

Ten years, eight years, same difference. He had just the scars to prove the significance. A frozen syncope they had called it, and to wake up to a world that's completely not what you remember it being, everyone got older, had life experiences while you were frozen in time, staying the same. The point being that everything can change in such a long number of years.

Even his opinion of the Vongola's tenth generation boss, Sawada Tsunayoshi.

Who would have thought that after Tsuna died he would get to see him again? One last chance? Wasn't it what he had been waiting for though? What he had been secretly mourning about? All the regrets, the what ifs and looking back with thoughts about all those moments. All those moments he had but hadn't used them because of his damned pride. Or what had been left of it after he submitted to the changes in the family and forcibly gave his consent to the new reign of the tenth generation led by Tsuna, Vongola the tenth himself.

He had tried to fight it, at first, every step of the way. But a few incentives from the 9th, regrettably his father, about how the family won't stand for another coup d'tat made him think over his loyalties. 'Your body might not be able to handle the stasis once again.' was the threat from his so-called father and the truth in that, more than everything had coerced him to close his eyes and bow his head like the rest of the family dogs.

Seeing as he didn't want to be stuck like that again, he learned three important demands that were required of him: To follow and support the family no matter what, to obey the 9th and to accept the 10th.

Under the threats he succumbed and with the demands his fate was sealed.

He was tamed.

* * *

><p><em>Inside the pages of lost times,<br>__people are done with in a single moment._

_Empires fall slowly._

* * *

><p>Chapter one – done! Now... five more to go :]<p>

So...

Did you like it?


	2. A Piece of the Sky

Hi again :]

Well, this is where the yaoi part begins, not much now but there will be more later... Anyway, just be careful in proceeding if X27 that is OOC for obvious reasons is not your thing.

I just can't see a regretful and confused Xanxus staying in character, isn't that right?

Enjoy.

**A Piece of the Sky**

* * *

><p><em>He wants you but doesn't know how,<br>__no more, not yet._

_You are oblivious to how much pain he holds,  
><em>_now._

* * *

><p>It was certainly a meaningful day when the Varia finally set foot in the underground Vongola base.<p>

With not much of an announcement, the assassinations squad of the Family advanced into their new, yet only temporary, residence. Temporary residence meaning until department to rescue the brats. In the deadly groups' opinion, hopefully soon. Passing through the lucky-to-be-alive-yet-scared-to-death-at-the-same-time guard that was currently watching the entrance to the base, they made themselves known to all occupants as their aura spread murderously around the maze of corridors.

The days are short and the general area of the Millefiore base that the two missing guardians are held at is already known. Only needing the exact location of where to attack, the The headquarters were proclaimed closer than the Varia base to the location, hence why they are here.

While the arrival drew all the attention from the people of the base, non had much of the nerve to actually reveal themselves, and with good reason. For it was widely known inside the family, and outside as well in fact, that crossing paths with the Varia did not bode well with anyone's well being.

Well, actually, for the fairness of the situation, there was one person. Just one person who had either enough courage or too large amount of stupidity to actually bear witness to the arrival of the odd group. Given that he was hidden fairly good from any eyes whatsoever, the silently observing bystander managed to go unnoticed by the passing people from his position.

That person was no other than Sawada Tsunayoshi, otherwise known as Vongola the Tenth.

Attracted to his current location by unhealthy curiosity, he looked at the slow walkers that paced through the concrete corridors with confusion clear on his face. Xanxus. That man, frightening, intimidating and downright scary Xanxus. This made no sense to Tsuna at all. How could the memories of the ring battles be so blurry at the moment? The man simply looked nothing like he was before.

That was probably an exaggeration on the young sky's part, because the man was still all of the aforementioned, but there was something about the change in these ten years that cleared the difficulty in understanding. The man was... different.

Well, truthful to recognition, the man standing there, Xanxus, concentrated on whatever it was ahead of him that Tsuna couldn't see still held the same scars and the same posture, but that was where it ended. A different hairstyle, a slightly different build and a whole different set of expressions, both expected and unexpected. Xanxus was older, obviously, but more than that. the aura around him was much more controlled and restrained than before, more concentrated into a threat. More deadly than he remembered.

Taller, darker and much, much more frightening, the man was demanding attention without even trying.

Safe to say, the quick and unintentional evaluation the boy was making at the person in front of him came to a conclusion that couldn't have been more accurate. The man he was looking at was more dangerous now than he had been ten years ago by far. With that thought, the short boy made the decision to retreat from his hiding place before he caught attention he never looked forward to be receiving.

It was only later that day, when Tsuna saw him at dinner, face to face, that he surprised himself with the knowledge that he didn't really feel scared of the older man. It was probably because of the aura around him. At the lessened intimidation, the Vongola boss could look and explore with his gaze the enigmatic man more thoroughly than he had ever managed or even wished to before.

From the moment he laid his eyes on the violently wild man, he couldn't allow himself to stop. It was like he was drawn to the matching gaze that caught his for the first time in what could possibly had been ever. There just seemed to be emotions that has never before been seen in those eyes.

* * *

><p>In the midst of the Varia's second day after their arrival, a conversation was taking place. Well, not truly a conversation... more like a dispute.<p>

"What the hell, trash?" a raised voice rang through several corridors "Where did that comment come to your stupid head from?"

Xanxus was pissed, Squalo knew it, but he wouldn't be where he was in this day and time had he been cautious around the other male and now certainly wasn't the time he had to change. So, while laughing at the expense of his raging friend and boss, he answered,

"Well, it's true." he said, needing even more control to restrain his laughter so he could continue. "The looks you give the brat are too obvious to be ignored. Even he probably knows what you are thinking!"

"Really? Are you a kid? Or is it that you are jealous?" Xanxus snarled the silver haired man's way.

He hated being made fun of. Actually, there was no other person in the world that would have this privilege other than Squalo so Xanxus simply hated the fact that he couldn't just kill him and be done with the stupid teasing. So what if he was obvious? It didn't matter anyway seeing that he never felt the need to hide things about himself from the world. They would have to deal with it and arrange themselves accordingly, not him.

It was never a secret that he was bisexual. The fact that it went unknown most of the time was simply because he didn't go around shouting about his life to everyone he meets. Really, he was not that sort of person. Well, he really was attracted to both genders, and now that he had the smaller version of his years' long fantasy, very much alive and with a very delicious looking ass, he will be damned if he will let his eyes miss the live show.

"Jealous? Why would I be jealous?" the rain Varia actually looked offended behind the traces of laughter at the mocking question, though deemed it too unworthy of answering. "Forget what I said, the kid will never notice, he is just too dumb to find out about that!"

Anyone in their right mind would have shut up by then, but it was clear that Superbi Squalo was not in his right mind at the moment, if ever. So he continued.

"And so are you!" he threw at the other. He didn't know when it became serious, but if there was ever a time to get back at the dark haired man for years of abuse in the name of an obvious attraction the other was denying to a certain Vongola boss, it was then. "You think if you just look at him he will realize what goes through your head? Hell no! That's what words and actions are meant for. If you never tell him or show him, nothing is ever going to change!"

And the voices raised more than before, clearly and indifferently missing the fact that any occasional passerby could hear the loud discussion.

It was by pure coincidence that such an occasional bystander did pass by. Given that he was passing by two corridors from the discussed location, it was still heard quite clearly thanks to a random 'Vooooi!' coming from a certain silver haired man. And seeing that it was no regular occasional bystander who happened to make there, but once again the unlucky sky, leader of Vongola, Tsunayoshi, it was by no means ignored and discarded.

Instead, the young Vongola made two fatal mistakes: Walking carefully to the occupied room after hearing his voices and concluding it was indeed Squalo who was arguing with someone was the first. The second mistake was stopping for no apparent reason instead of continuing on his relatively safe way. Could this possibly be Xanxus the older male was talking with? It did seem like these two rarely spoke to other people...

Something in the back of his mind was at the moment very busy with screaming at him about the fact that it seemed he apparently didn't have any sense of self preservation after all, otherwise, why would he be eavesdropping to the older male outside his bedroom and not keep walking. The risk of being caught strangely did not occur to him.

He just felt that if he stepped away he might never find his answer. You see, Xanxus had been looking strangely at Tsuna the previous day far more times than once or twice and he was finding it pretty creepy.

So the first thing that comes to his mind when such an opportunity to spy on anything related to the man's intentions arose, the teen gladly hung on to it as it led him to the other side of the door where the voices came from.

"...and the _him_ that I know, he's dead! He isn't here anymore." Tsuna heard, making an effort of trying to hear the, now, lowered voice of Xanxus. Hearing such a serious tone coming from the other, the young Vongola boss wondered what the topic of the conversation could have been to change the regular angry tone of the man into something so... regretful. Luckily, he didn't need to wait long to find out, for better of for worse.

"I thought everything I had for him would be lost with his death, but it never went away. I can only regret not..." a pause, as if something was holding the man's tongue back, and then it continued. Pained, straining, the voice kept on, "You could never understand. No one else was ever enough..."

The silence that rang through the room and the corridors was filled with many questions about that statement, still, only one was asked,

"So what are you going to do now? Alive, breathing, whatever you call it, he's here." Squalo asked "What now?"

Hearing the direction the conversation was taking, it could only be classified as strange and Tsuna tried to understand the meaning of the unexpected whispers. Unconsciously, he ended up revealing himself through the small crack in the door as he tried to get a view to match the voices.

And that's when he saw them. Indeed the Varia boss and right hand were sitting in the room, their discussion much calmer now than when Tsuna first heard their voices. Xanxus for his part, was sitting on the bed, his hands woven together under his chin as his elbows rested on his thighs, on his face was an unreadable look with a distant gaze to match the tone of his voice. He had never seen this expression on the older one before, and so he leaned a bit more to see. Just a little push and...

...And he sees nothing.

With this one moment of lost concentration as he fell into the shock of surprise, he felt himself being pulled inside the room roughly. He could vaguely hear the door being shut closed and locked after a growled order for Squalo to disappear. Not having the time to even register what was happening Tsuna felt himself thrown against the wall suddenly and his shirt's collar yanked by hands much larger than his.

With his innocent calm of still not realizing the consequences of being caught, Tsuna looked up and wished he hadn't, for he no longer misunderstood.

Obvious but not anticipated lust with expected rage showed in those eyes he never seemed to look much in and couldn't tear himself from at the rare moments he did. Suddenly the broken sentences he heard only minutes before seemed to be thrown in his face with frightening clarity as he felt the other's warm breath on his flushed skin.

As realization hit him it was already too late. At that moment, he had already been caught, now in the arms of this unrefined man there was nothing he could do to salvage the situation. He had brought this on himself. Whatever it was. there is no getting away, that much his currently very distressed mind was capable of supplying... for now he would just have to endure. Really, he was beginning to sound like Lambo.

Did curiosity really was what killed the cat?

It was only when he closed his eyes in surprising resignation that he could feel the tight hold on him slacking and slowly losing it's might. And even before he looked up again, he was already free of the Varia leader's clutches as the other took three steps, now four and more backwards, giving him his precious breathing space back.

He didn't know how many minutes have passed since Xanxus had finally managed to lean back on the wall in the other side of the room, but the silence that ate it's way through their precious air was thankfully lifted.

"You heard." the scariest thing for Tsuna to deal with in this statement was that it wasn't an accusation, but a recognition. A small nod was all he could manage.

"I'm not angry." difficult to acknowledge, but the boy already knew that. Had the other been angry at him, he would have been in a lot of pain at the moment. "It's just that, it was always about you."

Had the teen had any doubts before about the person in that discussion, those were completely lost now.

"The great Sawada Tsunayoshi." it was said with a bitter, sarcastic tone that planted new doubts in the boy's heart about the whole situation. "Vongola the Tenth, unreachable to all but his guardians. I could never had gotten to you. There was always security wherever we met, there were always witnesses whenever we spoke, all interaction was supervised, until the day you died.

"And yet, here you stand, alive, alone, looking at me with those same eyes." pushing from the wall, the man who had nothing to lose looked at the cautious teen as if looking at a preserved artifact through a glass. He could watch it but never hold it. "Can't you just look at me differently?"

Completely immersed in the monologue, it felt as if something had fallen on his head that Tsuna realized that he was meant to give an answer. Still, he couldn't quite comprehend what was being asked of him, so instead of replying, he asked, "W-what do you m-mean differently?"

"Differently. See me as a changed person. A second chance, a clean sheet, a new page, differently." he really had nothing to lose as that was a moment of now or never. And seeing that he had already witnessed the 'never', he was easily going with the long-wished for 'now'.

It would be easy for Tsuna to agree now. But yet, holding it back was just one thing that didn't let him open his mouth to allow the acceptance to escape. It was the same sarcastic undertone whose origins he couldn't figure out that he couldn't allow to pass by him. And so his changed answer was at the end,

"I-I don't know." he whispered at first, and finished "I'm not sure I can."

Really, he would have believed the sincerity in the request, but his doubts were eating him and his low confidence always did seem to have it's way with him and his decisions.

"I can never see you taking _me_ seriously." nothing seemed to have changed for the younger one after all. He was not the one who had ten years knowledge in him, therefore it all was too overwhelming at the moment. "The moment that it get's out of this room, for everyone else to see, nothing will change." newfound courage allowing him to speak clearly, he kept to the end,

"After all, that's all it is, isn't it? Just an illusion of time."

With his last portion of bravery, the teen looked at the older man's eyes as his opinion was made clear. His eyes burned with ever-existing flames shortly before he walked to the door to his left and unlocked it, effortlessly passing through it after it was opened without another word. He had nothing else to say.

As he was left alone in his room, his mind calm and his thoughts focused, Xanxus only had one, simple, conclusion to this whole occurrence. It was so simple it had brought a satisfied smirk to his features.

If that was all that he had to contradict to get the chance prove himself, then nothing was more easy.

But first, where was Squalo when he needed him? That unintelligent trash, he needed his whiskey!

* * *

><p><em>All the stars fall, all the brave leave.<br>__All those who screamed are silent,  
><em>_everyone who laughed are crying._

* * *

><p>"But why can't it be us?" Ryohei asked with a confused look on his face for what was probably the twentieth time in the last hour.<p>

At the moment the infirmary was occupied by the younger members of the Vongola family. More accurately those from the past. A distracted Tsuna, the normal explosive Ryohei, both of the reluctant members Hibari and Mukuro, one peacefully sleeping Lambo and two others were more than enough presences in the clinic room. It came with little to no surprise that gathering the remaining young guardians was somewhat of a difficult task, even to Shamal and Reborn, the room's two other occupants.

Between Tsuna's disappearances, Mukuro's evasiveness, Hibari's indifference, Lambo's disinterest and Ryohei's inability to focus for more than one or two minutes, then yes, it was difficult even for the two veteran Mafioso.

Currently, it was the inattentive one that was trying to see reason and make sense of the explanation that was taking place about the Varia's recent relocation.

As it seemed, he and the others, as much as some of them don't show it, were beginning to feel a bit frustrated that they couldn't take part in the rescue party and that the Varia had been called behind their backs, thinking they have been underestimated and thought of that they couldn't be able to handle it.

They do want to save their friends by themselves after all.

"Well, nothing ever does seem to go as wished, especially when there is only meaning and no official plan." a newly arrived Dino announced. He had make them understand the need to call the Varia. "Currently, the plan involves myself and the Varia in a clear mission to infiltrate the Millefiore base while you fight at another location."

"You know what they say," he continued, "the show must go on."

A disbelieving sigh escaped Mukuro's mouth as he heard the statement. 'Really?' he thought to himself, 'Couldn't he had been at least a little more creative?'

Sensing he knew what the other was thinking, the blonde turned to face the mist guardian and said "A cliché, true, but it still stands for the fact that _you_ have to to br the one's to fight against the Millefiore. No one else can do that." looking at the rest carefully, he continued "You guys can't afford to split up and you definitely can't be in two places at one time."

Sighting deeply as understanding downed on them with those words, the realization of their situation had been obtained.

"Basically," Reborn began as a way to simplify the next course of actions "You would have to serve as the 'distraction' to the rescue mission that would actually be the main fight against the real six funeral wreaths."

* * *

><p>'Alright, this is beginning to feel too strange to ignore.' was Tsuna's thought that day's late evening. He was finding himself the receiver of the Varia leader's gaze almost every part of that day. In every corner, during every turn, he could feel it following him.<p>

A bad feeling led him to taking the path to his room in the base, in which he actually felt quite safe. Walking fast, the young Vongola couldn't suppress the uncontrollable need to look to all directions with consistent paranoia in his heart.

And so it seemed luck wasn't really with him that day, because just as he reached to open the door to his room, a hand on his stooped his movement as he was cornered once again.

Xanxus, for his part was pretty satisfied with himself for managing to get his prey in this spot, in the hallway right next to his room, he knew that if he managed to get him through the door he was unstoppable.

Judging by the frightened look on Tsuna's face, he knew it too. Something about this situation was different, something in the man was strange, unnatural, irregular. No amount of pleas will get him help then. With his back to the wall, hands on either side of his head as he tried to shrink back even more against to wall at the predatory look the other was giving him, he looked up to see an unfocused gaze.

The man was probably drunk. Scratch that, he was definitely drunk, judging by the strong smell of alcohol that assaulted him in the wake of the unexpected physical closeness between them.

At the moment, Tsuna had to admit to himself that he found Xanxus pretty intimidating. The man was scaring his breath out of him out of years of experience as the leader of perhaps the most frightening organization in the mafia at times. And just when he thought it could get no worse than that, the man began speaking.

"How can you be left so alone, so unguarded?" he asked, his enigmatic voice rough and difficult to ignore. Letting go of one of his captive's hands, he caressed a soft cheek and continued. "The things I could do to you, no one will be there for you. Someone might think that you are looking to be-"

His last words were cut off as a slap could be heard clearly through the corridor. With his one, freed, arm Tsuna had managed this action of defiance out of fear.

Still, it only brought a soft, almost silent laughter with it. No other movement, no retribution, it was simply madness.

And then he was shivering upon seeing the threatening twist in the other's features. A smile like that was not something he saw often enough. It truly was madness. Still, the thing that bothered him more than the revenge promising smile was the lustful gleam in the dark haired man's eyes that screamed his ill natured intentions towards the boy. And with all the naivety the teen held in himself he understood.

There was nothing else that could contradict Tsuna's thoughts of the man in front of him, pinning him, apparently also pining for him... this man was a demon.

An unnatural life form, he was the representative of all that was negative, the epitome of sin and the essence of evil. As it was, He was purely the opposite devil to the angel in his arms.

His big... strong... arms- 'Wait, what?'

As the taller, older man crept slowly downward, the bunny like teen cowered and tried to shrink unsuccessfully into the wall once again as his movement began being restricted by the very source he was trying to run away from. Surely, had he had the elongated ears his metaphoric kind are known for those would have been long ago flattened against his messy hair with fear and submission.

Closing his eyes, he couldn't suppress another shiver due to the surprise of something pressing to his ear. A warm, air-breathing thing that made the entire left side of the Vongola's head tingly with a warm feeling he was utterly unfamiliar with.

And then he heard words. So close to him, practically on him, and those words caressed his ear with shocking gentleness that was only increased by the whispering tone that was used to deliver them. A soft feeling at the back of his throat constricted him, yet he could feel that at the moment he could still keep a hold on it. But what was it really? Regrettably for Tsuna, he had never felt a sensation quite like this before in his life. It was like his heart was beating at his throat, intensifying the sweet suffocation with every passing movement of air inside and out of his lungs. It felt as though he was breathing nothing.

So as one last distraction the boy listened to the words uttered so perfectly in his ear and tried to make sense of them in his partly fogged mind.

"You will never understand how difficult it is for me to stop myself from getting close to you. How difficult it was to do so all these years. And how impossible it is to do so now." a lick to his ear and a shiver later, it continued, "This is the only time for this, the last chance at this..."

With every word closeness was enhanced and soon no layer was in between them but their clothes. As it seemed he also came to the same conclusion that he couldn't get any closer than he already was to the boy, Xanxus pushed them both away from the wall and pulled Tsuna with him, against him. Holding him closely he paid no attention to the useless attempts of the boy to fight his way out of the embrace. He was going to be heard. He refused to be ignored.

He continued as his almost silent, yet close enough to be heard, voice left no room for comments or, alternatively and more accurately, rejections. It held none of the animosity and bitterness it was laced with only mere minutes ago as he sobered fast enough to correct himself. He should have known Squalo could not be trusted with not lacing his drinks with something. Probably for an idiotic reason like overcoming his pride.

"Now I'm going to let you go." he whispered, as softly as no one thought he could "Try being a bit mature and stay until the end."

Apparently Xanxus' definition to letting go was different than the still shocked teen's, as he only released the arm that he held and slightly lowered the amount of pressure in the forced embrace.

Speaking hypocritically, the man said, "Let go a bit," he looked down with something akin to sincerity in his eyes "you are too stressed and worried about everything that you judge the situation too harshly."

Coaxing Tsuna's head to look at him by a gentle upward push of his fingers, he said, "You were wrong when you said that when everyone else would become involved it would matter anything. If this is the only thing keeping you away, then fuck them! They are not the ones who matter to me, you are!"

The Varia assassin was at the point where he was so frustrated that he really didn't care about his own pride anymore. Losing image in the others' face was an easy enough sacrifice. He would get everything he loses now later.

With all that he lost and what he gained shortly after, he just couldn't let go, literally. The boy was sooner to learn how to fade into nothingness like the cheshire cat than getting out of his hands this time. So he held tightly and didn't dare to let go even as he watched the fear of his obsession in the younger one's eyes. And the worst thing for little Tsuna was that the situation was in Xanxus' favor this time, because in the older one's eyes no one could blame the dark haired man who was now towering over him...

After all, he just wanted a piece of the sky.

At the end, curiosity wasn't what killed the cat. It just led him to the cruel wolf that sunk his teeth into the small being's very, very tasty flesh.

* * *

><p><em>He is close, but not with you,<br>__no more, not yet._

_Everyone knows you're meant for him now,  
><em>_everything, everything._

* * *

><p>End of chapter 2\6, don't go thinking it's over yet :] But wow, even I have to admit that it was pretty detailed, I hope not too much for your tastes... It was difficult and I hope I managed to get it all across. And so what if Xanxus is a bit bipolar! So am I...<p>

I have no idea when I am going to update, but hopefully soon. Really, a service in the army can be so unpredictable and very time-consuming sometimes... Basically, ciao for now.


	3. Of Coincidences

Hey, it's been a while… I know! I know... I'm sorry!

Between the army service and a demanding relationship, to a new job that kept me away from home sometimes for almost a month at a time and a particularly pitiful mistake that deleted all the files regarding this story and other stuff I have written, I literally couldn't find not the time nor the motivation to keep this story updated. Then, a year away spent traveling followed by six months of intensive studies and here we are...

Sorry, but I recently figured that there will always be distractions to keep me from writing and that it's time to get some more proportions into life. Those proportions came to me the moment I heard a siren and had to go take cover in a bomb shelter, and then heard a rocket hit next to my house.

Life is too short to be taking it too seriously.

So now that the apologies and explanations are over, as far as I'm concerned, we could go on to the chapter :]

Enjoy.

**Of Coincidences**

* * *

><p>As seemingly peaceful as the room might have appeared, with such silent tension regarding the dire situation they were in the midst of, all the residents were using their time of breakfast to come to terms with their current predicament. Some conversed about recent events, quietly, with whispers, while some, deciding not to voice their worries, kept to their own. All in all, the pressure of time added to the stress of uncertainty and the oppressing feeling that settled around the dining table could not be ignored by it's occupants.<p>

Except by Tsunayoshi Sawada that is. Tsunayoshi Sawada was currently eating breakfast, a blank look on his face as he is silently engaged in a debate inside his own mind. Disconnected from reality and safely unaware of the levels of stress building out of his box of thoughts. Some people with the knowledge about recent events would guess he was distracted by the capture of two of his guardians, but that was not the case at the moment. While there is no doubt at all that the young Vongola was the one single person in the room most worried about the well being of his two close friends, his thoughts were forced to settle on a different matter entirely. That issue was related to a certain Varia leader, a person who took over the teen's thought process in his actions two night before that morning.

_Speaking hypocritically, the man said, "Let go a bit," he looked down with something akin to sincerity in his eyes. _

He could feel his cheeks burning as he remembered that look he was given, so honest it was painful, so consuming it left nothing of him hidden. Recalling the next thing Xanxus did, his blush deepened.

_Coaxing Tsuna's head to look at him by a gentle upward push of his fingers, he said, "You were wrong when you said that when everyone else would become involved it wouldn't matter anything. If this is the only thing keeping you away, then fuck them! They are not the ones who matter to me, you are!"_

The absolute power and harsh words got to him, under his skin, into his veins. Tsuna was young, and he truly didn't know how to deal with this situation. With nothing to give him any clue this was going to happen, he was pretty sure he could have dealt with such a proposition a lot better had he had any experience in the delicate art of relationships.

Since appearing in the future, they have been moving from one messed up situation to another. Surprises kept appearing as they run into obstacles and multiple hazardous circumstances.

And then there was Xanxus.

Out of nowhere, just showing up, the man's presence immediately caught the teen's attention. It was impossible for it not to. Not having to wait, fast enough, he even had the reasons for the man's constant gaze on him laid out for him, albeit in an unconventional way.

_"You will never understand how difficult it is for me to stop myself from getting close to you. How difficult it was to do so all these years. And how impossible it is to do so now." a lick to his ear and a shiver later, it continued, "This is the only time for this, the last chance at this..."_

At that time, he was honestly helpless. Hanging on to the body pressed on his, his attempts at movement desisting, he could do nothing but process the words being whispered so softly in his ear. For some reason, this man, a man Tsuna knows close to nothing about, managed to bring up emotions, attractions, he never knew himself capable of.

_"This is the only time for this, the last chance at this..."_

Only now, only here. That voice was pleading. And he felt himself pulled along to the sensation. This man is the future Xanxus, not the same one he first met and fought against. Maybe at some point in their life they were one and the same, but now, the difference is obvious. What could he have seen in this future to make him develop such strong feelings? This was a Xanxus that was not from his time, and therefore one that knew more about who the young leader would become than who he is at the moment. But still, he was asking for this chance, for the possibility to gain Tsuna's affection even through the possibility of losing him again soon after. The more thoughts rushed through his head, the more he concluded that none of this made any sense to him. What wa-

"-diot! Oi! Tsuna!" barely processing his moving surroundings as his head collided painfully in a loud bang with the dining room's floor, the teen forced himself to look up as he heard Reborn talking to him. "-eriously, what are you doing, spacing out after almost everyone left the room? We have training to get to, let's go!"

Without a word, he followed.

* * *

><p>Sometimes, when certain separate incidents take place as one follows after the other, in an unstoppable chaotic sequence, we manage to witness the unique chronological succession, the one known in better terms as 'coincidence'. Coincidence, by definition, is an event that might have been arranged although it was really accidental. Therefore, while appearing as a set of predetermined occasions, the coincidence is in fact an unintended occurrence, leading mostly to a diverse series of reactions by the surrounding individuals.<p>

Today was a day when such a coincidence took place.

Similarly to that same morning, a group of people, both from the past and the future, sat down for their meal time in the dining room. While the situation had not changed, the long day of work took a lot out of the residents of the Vongola Underground Headquarters. Training, information gathering, patrolling, guarding... while every person had their own duties, they all spent their day serving Vongola, holding the resistance and keeping the hope for a better future burning still. The quiet at this time of the day was more natural, with simple tired talks around the large table. Even though the tension and worry never dissipated for a single moment, they all felt like they are making progress in their own fields, leaving them more relaxed knowing they are doing all they can for their ultimate purpose.

"Man, today was rough, going through all the files and confirming all those identities, looking at each and every one of those folders for eight hours without taking a break, I swear my eyes are going to fall out if I don't close them soon so they could rest." an unknown worker shared with his colleagues. His eyes red from fatigue and his voice exhausted. "I'm not going to complain because I know this kind of work is needed, but doing this every day without stopping to change the environment is tearing me slowly, I don't think I can stay in much longer."

The man to his left sent a sympathetic look at his friend, "I know what you mean, our department kept collecting records from all occupied areas, one of the guys decided he quit once we got orders to keep working through lunch time, we were getting close to finding some really good things for a breakthrough, but that guy was already at his limit when the news came." looking to the other side of the long table at a guy who's both hands were bandaged, he lowered his voice even more. "Said he couldn't take it anymore, broke all his own damned fingers, poor guy spent the rest of the day recovering while being scolded for his selfishness."

Looking up with everyone else when he heard the sound of the door being opened again, the man saw his Boss enter the room. He wasn't _really_ his Boss, or he was but more correctly 'will be' is a better way of putting it. The kid was tough, training all day, every day, not complaining, barely even talking with his own companions. Seriously, compared to the Boss they all knew, the one the Family came to love and admire, this boy was a mystery. Not to say you couldn't see the potential already, since there was plenty just rolling off of him with every move he made. To think that this is how the beginning of the legend called Sawada Tsunayoshi looked like, amazing.

He was shorter than his future self and not as muscled. He was too self aware to look like a Boss yet, but you could feel the power he held when he walked by. His hair was shorter and a lot messier, face still too young, but what got to his future subordinates the most was his eyes. So naive those brown eyes were, the flames behind them dancing with pureness that was lost over the years in the mafia. This boy had not killed, had not lost life and had not given orders that could end with one or the other as a direct result.

The young man walked slowly, not showing weakness but weariness that was easily explained by the deep bruises and burns from his obvious intense physical training. On his shoulder, the faithful Hitman of Vongola, Reborn, looking content with the day's events.

And then it happened.

The worn out boy walked without notice of his surroundings, his eyes unseeing as he bumped into the guy whose fingers were broken at the same moment the man got up from his chair and tried unsuccessfully to hold his tray for disposal, food remnants splattered everywhere and the metal tray clanked loudly on the floor, attracting the attention of all those who weren't already following the young Boss' movements. The silence took over in a heartbeat as apologies were exchanged and the baby Hitman Reborn landed on the table next to the two idiots. Holding his hand out just for a green bat to appear, he showed no mercy for his already battered student for neglecting awareness and sent him flying...

… right into the Varia leader's arms.

The dark haired man, who just walked through the door, held his Tsuna tightly in his hands, helping him for just the right time for him to connect his brain to his legs once more. Sending a glare at the room, the licensed killer took his time to promise death to every person in the room, effectively freezing all that he set his eyes on.

Looking at the young one who didn't know yet he was already his, Xanxus leaned down in full view of everyone in the room, and pressed a kiss on his Boss' forehead.

"I'll prove it to you." was what he said, but only he seemed to know the meaning of his words. Even Reborn's face couldn't be described as anything but surprised, Leon back in his form holding onto his lowered hand.

But hearing that voice, as the same warm arms folded around him, put Tsuna's mind back on track again. It all happened so fast and those words flashed in his mind in a single, simple thought. Those words were what officially closed the incident of that day. The context was Tsuna's reluctance to accept Xanxus and the motives behind his actions. So at that moment, those words clearly appeared for a split second, the same second in which Xanxus' face grew even closer to his own while he was too shocked to retreat.

The kiss was short, as bold and lasting as it was, in a matter of seconds it was over. Practical, imprinting and claiming. And it wasn't over yet. Sneaking through Tsuna's abandoned defenses, Xanxus drew much closer, now completely wrapping himself around the teen. Repeating his actions as he had done the day before, he attached his lips to the younger Vongola's ear and spoke softly, so this would be the only ear that would receive those words from him.

"I told you I don't care to involve them, let them watch." enjoying the feeling a soft gasp from the teen gave him, he smirked "I already know you are mine, and the only question right now is..."

"Do you?" he asked, loud enough for everyone to hear and wonder as he pulled his head up and returned to full height, loosening his tight grip over the small body.

With one last look around the room and a satisfied expression engraved on his face, he proudly walked out, carrying himself with awe inspiring dignity and aristocracy few had managed to be associated with.

Xanxus kept walking, with these minutes being his last time before the next period of fighting started, he was content with his show. Sawada Tsunayoshi was his, and now everyone else knew. He could leave now without regrets, knowing the statement was made and the young Boss would be forced into constantly thinking about him by countless inquiries by his associates. To think the boy would just fall in to his arms the second he stepped into the room, what a coincidence.

It might be some time until he gets to see him again, but after today, he had more hope for getting his own piece of the sky Vongola.

* * *

><p>Tsuna couldn't believe what just happened. Standing with his back to the room, he stared at the now closed door with glazed eyes as he distanced himself from the outside world once again. As the whispers grew into loud conversations, the teen closed his eyes and concentrated on keeping his reaction to himself. It was bad enough this happened, it would be a lot worse when they get to see his tomato red face and emotional eyes.<p>

Anger. What was his most unused emotion so far took over on behalf of his freshly revived sense of pride. Vongola the Tenth almost couldn't forgive the guy for putting him in this humiliating situation, almost, because his damn intuition wouldn't let him forget it was something he brought on himself as he unknowingly 'challenged' Xanxus to prove his resolve to him.

While Objectively looking at the situation, the calm and more dominant side of the Vongola Boss had to admit it was a good move on Xanxus' part. Still, it didn't mean he had to accept it, no, definitely not, no way in any sor-

"-na!" he vaguely heard as he was forcefully wrenched from his thoughts. Opening his eyes to look at the current attacker shaking him to consciousness. It was Ryohei.

"Hey, little bro, what was that all about?" the energetic sun guardian was in his face, unblinking as he turned the unfortunate Boss to face the rest of the room. "That guy kissed you to the EXTREME!"

Tsuna's cheeks turned red, his embarrassment feeding the anger that lingered in the back of his mind as it called for retribution. His mouth wouldn't open.

More faces kept interrupting his vision as he came back to his body. He didn't want to deal with them. He turned around and started marching.

Sawada Tsunayoshi had something to do.

* * *

><p>Vongola the Tenth was walking through the corridors fast. For all his recent history of hesitation, his were now focused forward, set on continuing his road of conviction to retaliate and give his own answer to the one-sided resolution which was forced on him just moments before. The new Sawada Tsunayoshi didn't do anything halfway, that was what he decided just then.<p>

This new kind of emotion he couldn't describe with much success overflowed his rational judgment as his feet carried him flawlessly to his destination, set by his intuition. The closest he came to decipher and interpret this overpowering feeling he was experiencing was that it must have been a combination of anger and intrigue. Both of which have rarely been used to describe the young Boss. As he wasn't used to it, he succumbed to the consuming feelings when they swept him through the corridors and brought him to his objective.

Arriving just in time to see the group of assassins stand up to leave the base, the brunette stepped into the nicely furnished room through the unlocked entrance with little courage and not much plan to rely on. Given to the Varia as some sort of lounge, the room was large enough to host the violent group, but not too large for the determined Tsuna to find his normally intimidating target looking at him with plain surprise.

With confidence he never imagined he could have, the Vongola walked the straight line until he came face to face with Xanxus. Tilting his head up, one memory took over and rose above all thougts in his mind.

_"This is the only time for this, the last chance at this..."_

With his head already tilted up, Tsuna laid both of his hands on the taller man's shoulders, locking his eyes with the darker set he pulled himself slowly up, and pressed his lips to the other silent ones. It was not a long kiss, and it was definitely less intimate than the first one he got, it was just lips on lips, but it was enough.

Enough for the teen to feel the smile pressed against his.

* * *

><p>End of 3\6.<p>

* * *

><p>I know it's short, and without much conversation, but I was serious when I wrote I lost all notes relating to the story. Which means the bases of all chapters I wrote before I even uploaded it. This was written from nothing long after the loss of the original, but I have to say that I feel so much more satisfied with the way this one will be going. Version two of 'Empires' is definitely the better one I thought of.<p>

I can't promise an update too soon, but it will be less than a month until the next chapter and less than two months for the story to be completed. It's a promise.


	4. Breaking Dams

AN: Please take note that the inheritance ceremony I flashback to in this chapter has no connection to the one in the Manga. This story diverges completely on chapter 153 as did 'Blanco', my other related story. Therefore, anything that happened in the Manga after that point did not necessarily take place in this story's time-line.

Also, on top of regular warnings, this one will have some violence, some blood, some injury. Not too much. Consider yourself warned.

And last, Happy Birthday to Xanxus, it's supposedly tomorrow :] Mine will be the day after, so let the celebrations start early...

...as promised - the long awaited fourth.

Enjoy.

**Breaking Dams**

* * *

><p>If someone were to hear about the fact that the heir to the world's most influential Family, the infamous Vongola the Tenth, was nothing but a peace loving, innocent teenager, they would probably have a hard time believing it. You see, Sawada Tsunayoshi was never the assertive one, all of his actions were in fact <em>re<em>actions and his every choice was practically always influenced by outside sources. That was just the way he was.

Therefore, he allows himself to be led by a leash and follow the path laid in front of him to turn into the fearsome Boss of his Family. In fact, by the time he will get to the point of being aggressive enough to lead with his own power, he would not be in a position to refuse or back out anymore. By that time, he would have too much of a responsibility to leave, too much authority to just throw away with no one but him to sit on the throne. That, and also his friends, the closest of his Family, will be too far inside the inner workings of the Mafia to go back to their old life.

The Sawada Tsunayoshi of this time, ten years into the future, the one the little Boss was fated to become, is someone respected long after his death. He was someone who gave up everything to see that his Family is protected. Those who knew him would always remember how painful it was for him to send people to danger and how he couldn't sleep until he knew they were back home, safe. How difficult it was for him to go against his nature and assert dominance over the other Families. To make sure he would not be underestimated, that he would not look weak and have that reflected on his people and make them targets to petty power plays.

That is exactly why, despite his kind nature, he would kill for his comrades, he would protect them with his life. He did protect them with his life. And that is also why Xanxus could never stop thinking about him.

The road that innocent kid made to become the ruthless protector of Vongola was inspiring in more ways than one. How, against all odds, through countless situations, the boy survived, triumphed and took over as the absolute commander of the massive Family. And Xanxus, as one who was placed under his control, had a front seat view to the phenomenal development, the creation of a Mafia Boss from nothing.

It started with a simple meeting.

* * *

><p><em><strong>July 1st, 20XX, Vongola Headquarters, Rome, Italy. <strong>_

_Short after the incident which was well known in the Family as 'The Ring Battles', the Varia group returned to Italy. It took them the better part of a year to get over their defeat and regain enough pride to look at their situation with calm consideration. With not many choices while under threats, the leader, and therefore the rest of the group, gave their reluctant acceptance to the new reign destined to follow the current one._

_Accordingly, as a show of unity of the Family, Xanxus was asked to attend today's event. Standing and questioning all that took place to put him in this situation, he cursed under his breath once again as he looked across the fancy Vongola gardens, rumored to be second to none in the world. The big party was planned months in advance, with people from all continents, and his presence was crucial to the front the Family was trying to put on for the rest of the world. Not denying the internal fighting that took place, the Ninth and his advisers encouraged the rumors with their own lies, making the whole thing a planned tournament of a sort to see who will be the best heir of the two. The assassin's place in this crowd was to make it a known fact that despite his loss, he was still part of the Family, another of the pillars that hold Vongola and keep it strong._

"_It is time, our respected guests, to welcome the one we all came here to honor. Please welcome Sawada Tsunayoshi, Vongola the Tenth." _

_Walking slowly in what was probably a well-rehearsed course, the guest of honor stepped down the stairs. He looked too small in his formal clothing and way too out of it to actually have the notion of what he was even doing there, getting announced formally as the heir of Vongola. But at the same time, the boy somehow managed to gather enough confidence not to falter in his steps. He knows what's at stake if he fails this test. It may also be because of the support from his pet of a Storm Guardian, following a step behind him as his right hand man._

_Xanxus was still feeling a bit bitter and somewhat sour about the way the whole ring-fights scenario ended, but at this point, there was nothing to be done. Anything short of killing the boy would not do and to have that done after today would be more than just suicidal, it would be a sure death sentence to the former rebel of the family. An assassin that can't be kept in check is often seen as nothing but a rabid dog in need of being put down, and Xanxus was just that. Still though, for that tiny, scrawny, boy, to be his leader, his superior, was unbelievable. Had he known this would be his fate, to watch as a new era begins, one that he was not the one in control in, he would have planned his revolutions a lot more than he had originally. Perhaps delayed them until this time, when it would be legitimate to crush a weak boss before his time._

"_A cute little thing he is, is he not?" _

_Breaking away from his musings, the scarred man turned his head towards the smug voice that belonged to someone he quickly recognized as one of the higher ranking officers in one of the Family's American allied groups. At some point he worked with this man on overseas 'affairs' but Xanxus did not care to remember his name._

"_Little, yes. Cute? Tch. Maybe if you consider young boys to be your preference."_

_A sideways glance from the man told him he wasn't insulted by the assassin's insinuation. "Perhaps you are too blinded to appreciate the rarity of such potential and power, all inside one small body." licking his lips, the American's eyes gleamed when he looked at the boy."Someone that managed to overpower an experienced opponent such as you, especially in his young age, is worthy to take notice of."_

_Great, a creep. Coming from Xanxus who was ranked as the third creepiest Mafia member in the world, this was saying something. "Still doesn't mean he is good enough for my bed." Xanxus grumbled, turning his eyes to the young heir as Tsuna stood to accept the Ninth's blessing. Looking over the boy again, from his expressive eyes and quiet stuttering voice to his small feminine hands and short legs, he certainly looked like prey. But not the kind he would enjoy hunting._

_Breaking away from the older man without waiting for a reply, Xanxus walked along the shadows. His place was within the darkness, an assassin, a cold blooded killer for his Family and the most terrifying creature to it's enemies. But, it being counterproductive to his being there this evening, Xanxus knew his time in secluded bliss would be short. He had to show his face after all._

_Music, more guests, formality, the evening went on. It was when everyone gathered for the Ninth speech that a loud voice shouted across the crowd and disrupted the peaceful banquet. Like everyone, he turned to look at it's source. After that, everything moved fast, like many other things in his line of work._

"_Leader of Vongola Family's Varia group, Xanxus, you are a monster in the shape of man and you will pay for the death of my husband!" pulling out a micro pistol from a shiny purse, the woman wasted no time in releasing the first bullet. Xanxus didn't appear affected as he felt it pass by the side of his head, it was not the first time someone decided to take revenge on him for something he did in his assignments for the Family._

_'Easy.' he thought calmly, his hand already instinctively reaching to draw his own gun long before the woman had time to press her finger a second time. It was a practiced move for him, second only to breathing. Halfway through his movement, a body barreled into his side and pushed him out of concentration. At the same time another gunshot was heard and Xanxus hit the ground._

_Somehow disoriented, the dark man looked at the body covering his._

"_What the..." what sort of idiot would try to save him. HIM. Of all people. Who in their right mind would risk insulting the Varia leader by underestimating him through presuming he could not protect himself from a low threat such as this? "Who do you think you are? Huh, scum?!"_

_Wrapping his fingers in the still figure's hair, he pulled enough to see a pair of pained flame-bearing brown eyes closing. His breath stopped._

_A moment of eternity was passing by him as Xanxus realized the one to jump in front of a bullet for him was none other than Vongola the Tenth, that idiotic, naive boy! The blood was soaking quickly into his own clothes and the man somehow knew there wasn't much time until Vongola's new heir will grow cold with death. It was with only his instincts guiding his hand, that Xanxus shot. He shot the frightened woman before anyone could comprehend what happened. Two shots and he turned his gun to the boy on top of him._

_How much had he wanted this opportunity. 'Just pull the trigger.' an inner voice whispered, 'Pull it, and everything is yours. At the very last, you won't be serving Vongola under such a shameful leader.' the consideration took less than a second, enough time for the scarred man to know the voice didn't belong to his instincts, but his pride. So instead of pulling the trigger, he pushed the heated barrel of his gun onto the bleeding wound to burn it into a shape that wouldn't let the blood through. A moan was all he heard as the boy was probably far from fully conscious, and wasting no time, he flipped the small body to look for the exit wound. Shit. There was no exit wound. Only a doctor could fix this now and it had better be fast._

_By the time the offender collapsed to the ground and he stopped the bleeding, people were already rushing to pull the boy from Xanxus and haul him to the resident doctor. Sitting up, the assassin looked unblinkingly at the almost lifeless body with his full attention, completely disregarding all the annoyances trying to talk to him._

_It was on that day that Sawada Tsunayoshi received his first gunshot wound and later, scar, to 'save' Xanxus, of all things. It was on that day that Xanxus' loyalty to the Family was proven as he saved the young heir's life. It was on that day that an interest spiked, a bond was formed, a memory was created and some sort of new, twisted emotion was born._

_And it was then, at that moment. When the obsession began._

* * *

><p>Images of Gokudera's green eyes accusing him of betrayal were forced into his unaware and sleeping mind, the same way nightmares of this kind usually did. Not making any sense to a mind lacking the awareness to sense, the scene played out flawlessly, like reality itself, and made Tsuna toss and turn in his spider-web like bed. Cold sweat covered the Tenth's body as he looked down the bottomless pit of despair, watching as his friends and comrades fell without managing to help them in any way. His arms did not work, nor did his mouth as he tried calling their names repeatedly. He was only eyes, watching from afar, with no ability to shut himself down against the sight of his two best friends' torment. Screams woke him up, forcing his eyes open to find he was alone.<p>

"They're safe." he mumbled to the darkness, "They are here, they are safe. Both, safe, they are safe." hugging his knees as he whispered assurances to himself until he stopped shaking, the boy thought of just the night before. It was then that he saw the other two stepping into the dining room. A long day it was, returning to base after the fighting and long before the day was over. Closing the last assignments took time and precious energy and running to dinner was the most Tsuna could have brought his body to do. And then he saw them.

A bit thinner than before, somewhat distracted and bearing an air of detachment around them, but Yamamoto and Gokudera were there. They were safe, they were back where they belong. The two didn't eat much and left early, so this morning after seeing they missed breakfast he went with the others to bring them some food.

"So embarrassing..." Tsuna whined, cheeks heating at the recalled memory of people laughing at his reaction to the mention of Xanxus. Slipping on his shoes, the young Vongola got up from the bed in his improvised room, which surprisingly enough, Reborn didn't share with him, and left to get some much needed water.

Banging sounds drifted across the deserted hallways of Underground Headquarters all the way from his destination. Curiously, Tsuna inched with a careful approach into the well-lit room to find himself face to fist with an enthusiastically training Ryohei. With a mindset still fresh from recent fighting, Vongola's heir dodged just in time to avoid having his nose broken.

"Big brother! What are you doing here so late?!" he questioned breathlessly, it was some time around midnight. Sure, not too late, but late enough after dinner that most would be long asleep by then. "And training, seriously!"

A sheepish grin on his bandaged face, the older boy rubbed the back of his head and backed from Tsuna. "Sorry, little bro. Didn't see you there, I thought I was the only one up at this time." Seeing the honest reaction, the young Boss was fast to reply.

"No! Uh... Don't apologize, I was just asking. Really." relaxing a bit more as the adrenaline began to wear off his body by the minute, Tsuna kept walking to get his water. "I was just a bit thirsty, but really, what are _you_ doing here?"

The sound of water running filled the kitchen as Ryohei did the two things people rarely saw him do, both at the same time. Thinking silently. Almost as if contemplating whether to answer or not, the light haired Guardian let a sigh slowly escape his lips. Bandage wrapped fists clenched and lowering his head he answered, tone of voice like nothing Tsuna had ever heard from him before.

"Sometimes in Boxing, some people just have to quit."

He was leaning on the table, almost sitting on it as he placed both palms flat on the wooden surface behind him and looked up at the white ceiling. "I won't go into details, but after getting hit that one too many times, they just can't function properly when on the other side of a fist. They flinch uncontrollably, their reactions stop, and their vision tunnels. They need long treatments to fix this problem and even then it might stay with them for life. The damage could be irreparable, not just on the ring, but in everyday life as well. It doesn't have to be a fist that freezes you, it could be anything closing in on your private space that becomes too much for you to handle."

Quietly listening, Tsuna held his glass in both hands and wondered what Ryohei was getting to. This was the most he ever heard Ryohei talk.

"I've met some of those people, I saw how they changed from normal to half of who they were before." he closed his eyes against some sort of memory unknown to Tsuna. Whatever it was made him fold his fingers back into fists on the table. The semblance of a relaxed posture immediately broken by the small action.

"Yamamoto..." the confused eyes of Vongola's Sun met the Sky's brown ones when he lowered his head from the bright white above. "Yamamoto acted just like those people." he admitted.

Tsuna took a sharp breath. Leaning back on the counter, he let it support most of his weight. He thought Ryohei finished, but the other kept talking, as if not noticing his friend's shock.

"That type of reaction from someone like Yamamoto, his and Gokudera's injuries and their silence. It doesn't feel good to me." pain sparked in the normally bright eyes, "Getting hurt on the ring, you sign up for this, like in everything, stuff happens. But where they were, where the Millefiore took them. I... I don't think there was much fighting going on there, there were no rings."

"Big brother..."

Noticing the almost horrified expression on the younger boy's face, Ryohei shook his head with a small smile that looked more like a grimace than anything. "But what's done is done, and there is nothing we can do to change this." he said with a sense of finality that somehow managed to lighten the oppressive atmosphere that surrounded the duo. "They are safe now, and we can help them, that's what matters. And... I'm here at this hour,training, because it's monotone enough to relax me."

At the depth of the words and non-characteristic seriousness, Tsuna found himself a bit shaken. It seemed they all underestimated the extreme fighter. There was a lot more to his Guardian than he originally thought and he suddenly found himself a bit ashamed in thinking of Ryohei as nothing but a simple minded, loud person.

Not knowing what he could say to that, Tsuna finished his water and left the glass at the far side of the counter for tomorrow. "I think we should go to sleep, we still don't know what we are doing tomorrow." he offered, hoping to show to the other boy that maybe today was already stretching long enough for him. "What do you say?"

The ever-honest eyes met with his again, looking at least a bit lightened of the burden previously shown in them as the boxer agreed. With a nod of his head he pushed from the table and made his way to open the door. "I'll take you to your room, little brother." he said with care, knowing it was just two hallways from his own.

And so their short road back through the metal paths was set.

Uneventful, with silence after the heavy talk, short as it was, they walked and turned until they came to a stop in front of Tsuna's room. The figure leaning on the locked door proved they were not the only ones up at the time and Ryohei's confused glance went unnoticed as his companion choked and blushed brightly.

"Leave us."

Was that an order? The Sun Guardian looked carefully at Tsuna's reaction, then smiled softly at what he saw and ruffled the fluffy brown hair. "Goodnight, little brother, try to get some sleep as well." with that, he passed by Xanxus without looking back before he turned another the corner and left the two to their own devices.

* * *

><p>4\6 Done :)<p>

Well, I would just like to say that I'm aware there might be some inconsistencies in the story. Last chapter and this one were done in two different manners and on a completely different mindset. At some point I would probably come back to fix it, but at the moment I don't think it will be very productive. Hope it works out anyway.

And... I guess no reviews means I did something wrong. Still, I will finish this story regardless of any comments situation, I'll never hold updated from readers for recognition. But really, if something feels bad about the story, I can't really tell, so just write what you feel about it or I won't know.

I promised last chapter that the next two chapters (and therefore the story) will be completed and uploaded sometime within the next month. So expect them soon :]


	5. What You Never Had

**What You Never Had**

* * *

><p>It was another one of those meetings. Boring, time consuming and most of all, pointless. Time lost that wouldn't come back, time that he could have used to see the one person who changed his life before he couldn't see him anymore. Soon Tsuna will be sent back to the past, the different departments are working on that every hour of every day and sooner or later they will complete the research and find a way. It was only a matter of time.<p>

Xanxus found that statement somewhat ironic as it passed through his thoughts.

The day was almost over, the meeting came to an end and the Varia leader jumped from his seat and left without stopping to hear the last words spoken about what to bring to the next meeting, what does he have subordinates for anyway? They will do it for him.

Stalking through the identical corridors, he stopped in front of a familiar door with the name tag, "Sawada Tsunayoshi", situated on the wall next to it. A rush of some feeling he couldn't really identify washed through him as he knocked on the door.

And waited.

And waited. Just a bit more, and...

Tsuna wasn't there.

A minute, two, then three passed and the door stayed closed, no answer. Taking the handle in his hand, he tried to open the door only to find out it was locked. Either no one was inside or the boy was sleeping with the door locked and didn't hear. Xanxus knocked again, harder this time, wondering where else could the young Vongola be at this time of the day.

Five minutes passed, then fifteen and Xanxus was forced to admit the boy wasn't there. Should he wait there or just leave? Surely Tsuna will have to come back sometime soon to sleep, right?

"Unless he is staying somewhere else." that he said out loud, the thought echoing through the blank walls of the deserted corridor.

No.

No way was he staying anywhere else. He will be back soon.

"Unless he is staying with someone else." No.

It's been almost twenty minutes since Xanxus first got there and finally, he could hear something moving in his direction. Must be Tsuna. Two shadows, he wasn't alone. But who was he with?

The answer revealed itself to him as he saw the two turn the corner to where he was standing and finally stop to look at him. What was that guy called? The Sun guardian... Doesn't matter. Stepping forward from where he was leaning on the door, he looked at Tsuna's cute blushing face but spoke to the other.

"Leave us."

He moved like a tiger stalking his prey, already distracted enough to not bother with whether the one he just dismissed truly left or not, and closed in on the still figure standing in front of him. The Varia easily grabbed the small key from the weak hold the other had on it and took the same hand to lead the younger one to the room, Tsuna followed without words.

Open the door, close the door, sit on the bed, pull Tsuna between his legs and close his arms around him. He smelled so nice, like Tsuna. "I missed you." he whispered to the chest he was currently pressing his face against, partly not meaning the other to hear and partly not really caring. He didn't let go. He wouldn't. He couldn't.

* * *

><p>Xanxus. In his room. Hugging him. In his room.<p>

Tsuna's teenage mind was working through the events of the last minute and was not doing a good job at it so far. If you asked the young heir to describe Xanxus in one word after the ring fights, he would probably answer 'mean' or 'scary'. If he was asked the same question right now, he would say 'warm' or 'nice' or 'safe' or 'smells good'. There was no possible way of getting around it anymore - Tsuna liked him.

He always thought of himself as a rather normal person, if not below the average of normal people. The sort who failed his tests regularly, the sort who liked the cute girl who couldn't possibly ever return his feelings, the sort who would be content to live in his own shadow for the rest of his life.

Tsuna never thought himself to be the one an elite assassin, a man, someone who used to be an enemy, could ever be drawn to nor did he think himself capable of returning the sort of affection he was shown in those rare moments, like this one.

He never thought himself as one, but apparently, he was. "I missed you too." he said, his words whispered to the dark hair he unknowingly pressed his left cheek to. Two hands struggled a bit to escape the hold circling him but not to run away. Free, he wrapped his arms around Xanxus and hugged him back. While not knowing where this was really leading or why exactly it was happening, Tsuna somehow knew it was the right thing to do. Nothing could be more right than being with Xanxus right at that moment.

"I don't know what it is, but no matter what, I can't seem to get angry around you."

A weird statement, but considering the power the other was wielding, the 'Flame of Wrath', it must mean a lot. The hold on Tsuna relaxed from the tight grip to a more hug-like version of it. He kept his hold around the man. "It's like you just take it all out of me, calm me, I can't get enough of that, of you."

Now Tsuna's grip tightened as he blushed for what could only be the hundredth time since the entire affair started, sure he was more embarrassed being talked this way than any of those times he was forced to run around in his boxers because of Reborn.

"I mean, I feel like I should get angry at you for making me wait so long for you. Bash your Sun guardian's head in for being with you and making you late to get to me. I normally would, but nothing seems worth making you uncomfortable that way. You wouldn't like me killing your guardians even if they deserve it, right, Tsuna?"

Momentarily hypnotized by the tone so-unlike Xanxus and the mention of his name that caused warmth spread in his stomach, Tsuna barely managed to answer. "I... I don't think so."

A laugh followed his response. The nicest laugh he had ever heard. "I didn't think you would." now disentangling from the other Xanxus kicked his shoes off and backed further into the bed. Tsuna had a feeling the man was waiting for him to follow, like this was something he didn't want to pull the younger Vongola into but wanted him to take the step.

After everything that happened in the last few weeks, there was no hesitation whatsoever in Tsuna's movement. Climbing into his bed, onto Xanxus' waiting lap, he put two hands on large shoulders. He had no idea where the courage and confidence suddenly came from after a lifetime without them, but he could probably blame it all on his up to now almost nonexistent teenage hormones. That must be it.

"How are you these days?"

The question came as a surprise, up until that moment Xanxus didn't show himself to be much of a person to have mundane conversations. He seemed to be more of an action type, the less words the better. Tsuna answered regardless.

"Strange." he said honestly, "Fast, everything ended so fast." hands crept slowly to fall in place on his waist and thumbs massaged circles into his skin through his shirt. The touch made Tsuna a bit weaker, drawing him to lean further into the scarred man and close his eyes to relish in the almost alien but welcome feel of another person's hands on his body. "Everything... Everything worked out, in the end." Feeling a bit compelled to return the inquiry and a little more than somewhat awkward having a normal conversation while embracing another man, he asked, "You?"

Lit eyes looked at him, a small smile that Xanxus probably didn't know he had on his face made Tsuna's stomach flip again from all the sensations passing by him too fast for him to comprehend.

"Fighting went alright, could have been more interesting but I'm not complaining, the group is trash as always." tilting his head a bit to the side a smirk appeared on the Varia's face and Tsuna knew the next words have something to do with him, "Couldn't get you out of my head for a long time after you jumped me just before I left."

The blush was response enough for Xanxus. For all two seconds he could actually see it. Then, showing what a way Tsuna went since Xanxus first cornered him, instead of running backwards to hide from the man, he leaned forward to hide his face in Xanxus' chest. Small hands grasping the fabric of his jacket almost as if he tried to bury himself in it. "Hey, that's okay." he said quietly, though he really just wanted to laugh at the cute reaction. "It was the best parting gift you could have given me."

"Mmnuff." was all that was heard from Tsuna when the boy just tried to dig himself deeper into Xanxus and the man couldn't stop himself anymore. He laughed. Not maliciously, but heartily, for the first time in a long while, he laughed. Hands wrapping again around the teen, he stroked up and down the hunched back, feeling the soft tremors as they passed from Tsuna's body to his own and couldn't help but feel pure happiness bubble in his chest. This. This was what he wanted. Tsuna, with him. Like this.

A shame it wouldn't last, but he will have to make the best out of what time they did have before the end.

Pulling back when the brunette allowed it, Xanxus looked fondly into his most important person's eyes. The ever burning fire in them still as bright as ever. There was no need to ask for permission, no need to hold the other in case he pulled back. This was something they both wanted from each other, the shared affection between two people, in the most basic form of it, touching. Kissing.

Electricity coursed through their veins as their lips met. For Tsuna it was the most pleasurable sensation he had ever felt, for Xanxus it was what he once thought he could only ever dream of. Lips parted, gave way to tongues and passion built with a soft hum around the couple. A moan from Tsuna was hungrily devoured by Xanxus' mouth as the man began moving his hands slowly from his waist to his parted thighs, grabbing each in a firm hold.

The young heir's hands threaded through midnight hair, one moving to shakily touch a feather with an almost hesitant gesture. The feelings, sensations, the touches. It was a lot, but, strange as it was, it was like he just discovered something he never knew he needed so much until that moment.

The affection, the loving gestures, warm treatment, it was everything he ever wanted. Someone who needed _him_. And so he allowed himself to be swept by Xanxus' pace and let the man lead him into this new world of pleasure, consequences only a faraway word to be used at a different time. A time when his mind would function regularly and he won't be as distracted. That time wasn't there yet, so Tsuna let Xanxus to pull him away from everything. The worry for his friends, regret for not being there for them or allowing them to even be sent on that mission. Leave the worries of the present, along with the worries of the future and the past. Xanxus would freely give it to him, this break. So he allowed the embrace, welcomed it even.

It was when they broke apart after minutes of silence that Tsuna voiced the only worry he had. A tiny, distant worry, but one nonetheless. "I.." he began, heaving slightly and wondering how to ask the question, "Bats, cockroaches, loud noises, dark places... I'm useless. Everything scares me, I have nothing that people could look up to, everybody knows that!" he finally got out. He wasn't upset, no matter how he sounded. He was just breathless from a prolonged attachment to Xanxus' lips and curious as to how the man even saw anything in him when no one else ever had. "Why me?" he whispered, only in wonder.

Placing an arm around him from behind, and a palm right above his heart, Xanxus, who saw the need Tsuna had for an answer, said, "Because I know what you are made of." It was as simple as that. "I know how you are one of a kind, the things you could do, how amazing you could be." gently swiping strands of brown hair from reddened face, he continued.

"I know we might not have much time, and that it might not be fair to you to open up to someone you will not be seeing again after you go back to your time." honesty, Xanxus kept reminding himself. Most of it came naturally with Tsuna, but bad habits were hard to break. "I will also not lie to you that my past self will act the way I am now. We are different in many ways and will probably stay that way." he wouldn't lose Tsuna after being drawn to him, this Tsuna would stay alive after his future self's time. "But I want this," the taller man was leaning into Tsuna now, feeling him, how alive he was, how close to him he was. "I want you, this is the only time I can have you and for me it's more enough, however you feel is right for you, I will take what you give me." _your time, your soul_. "I'm older than you, I know, but I just want it, us, just for now, when we can.

"You are the person I fell in love with, you are the one I changed my life for."_ I love you._ "I lived for you and I killed for you, I would die for you.

"But I never had you, I never held you, like this. And before you go back to your time, I want this chance." one and only chance. "Because _my_ Boss will not be coming back and there is nothing I want more now than to have those moments with _you_."_ Just you. Only you. Always._

And for Tsuna it was enough. More than enough. As his eyes closed, his mouth opened and he surrendered once again to the invading warmth offered to him so passionately. A hand lifted his shirt, but he didn't mind, he craved the touch.

The room suddenly began to warm, two separate bodies, beings, burned hotter and hotter as the two skies, two flames, met in the middle to join together. Everything was enhanced, all was good-

-Which is why it was unfortunate when the door opened with a loud bang accompanied by a louder shout, "-...the boss must be here. BOSS! IM COMING IN!"

Superbi Squalo, that was the name of the interruption. For a brief awkward moment Tsuna fished the blanket from underneath them and ducked under it, behind Xanxus. The man himself, furious for a good reason for once, growled at the doorway. It was late, too late to even bother to lock the door since _no one was supposed to be awake at that hour._ He could faintly outline another figure standing behind the silver menace, but he didn't really care, all hatred was turned to that one person who interrupted his time with Tsuna.

"Boss," the scum said, now in a more refined tone, upon noticing what he just barged into. The little Vongola peeked a bit from his hiding place only to see the side of Xanxus' enraged face. "Bo-"

"Silence, trash." the words had a sense of finality to them, and Tsuna wondered how Xanxus' could manage the feat.

The Varia leader seemed to get irritated by the minute. He might have managed to keep his temper under control, _slightly_, but the signs were there. If Tsuna wasn't so close, he probably would never have noticed the small change in the scarring on the man's face. A tad darker, spreading by a bit, representing his wrath.

"Tsuna." it was almost a whisper, but the teen heard it. "Close your eyes for a second." after raising an eyebrow at the unusual request, a rare gesture that went unseen by Xanxus as he still focused on the surprisingly silent Squalo, the boy obliged.

Five seconds later, no more, no less, he heard Xanxus' voice again. "You can open your eyes now." Before the last word even left the man's mouth, brown eyes were already looking up in question.

The room was empty.

"Ehhh? How did you do that?!"

Turning to the man, he got what could only be described as a _Xanxus smirk_. "Do you really want to know?" the man asked, mirth flickering in his dark eyes. So different to the previous rage, the change instant, signs already withdrawn, the assassin almost looked peaceful.

"Tell me." curious as to how such a feat was managed, the little Boss was eager to know. "How?"

Looking up, as if contemplating whether to answer or not, the Varia Boss took pleasure in prolonging his younger companion's wait. It seemed like, without the boy's knowledge, Tsuna's upper body was slowly leaning towards the older man in his unusual highly inquisitive moment.

Lowering his head and drawing closer in return, Xanxus mused, "Should I really?"

"You must!" small hands on both his shoulders, the young Boss' sudden determination amused him to no end and he would have drawn the moment forever if it wasn't so damn late already. In four hours he had another of those cursed meetings about the future of Vongola.

"Maybe I should tell you. It's simple really, it was just..." without giving the boy a chance to move, he pushed him gently, but with fast movement, to his back on the soft bed. In a second they were repositioned, with Tsuna looking up as Xanxus placed his right palm flat on one side of his head, mirrored by the man's left hand on the other side. Faces a hair apart, Tsuna was hypnotized by the dark eyes gazing into his. "It was just... Magic."

Huh?

But before Vongola the Tenth even managed to process the odd answer he was given, soft lips met with his and a wet tongue licked across them. A soft moan rose from the back of his throat and Tsuna opened his mouth almost hungrily to accept his new lover's passionate kiss.

By the time both fell asleep, the satisfaction was spread throughout the room as they curled against each other, relishing in the warmth of another body pressed so close to their own.

* * *

><p>Sitting in the meeting room Xanxus let the group of old people fight between themselves and waste his air as he relaxed against his chair. As the meeting was held in Underground Headquarters he didn't really have to leave too long before the designated time, but he still felt cheated of his sleeping time. Especially with Tsuna in his bed. Well, him in Tsuna's bed, but that was the same damn thing.<p>

Waking up next to the angelic little thing was amazing. The scarred man couldn't remember ever feeling so good upon waking to the sounds of his alarm.

_The old pocket watch he carries in his jacket beeped just loud enough for Xanxus to open his eyes. While regularly irritated in the morning, the man found he couldn't quite manage the feeling. It was unusual, not feeling the standard anger upon waking._

_A movement on his chest caught his attention and he looked down at the mess of brown hair. The normally sharp man took more time than he would regularly need to put the pieces together, but by the time he did, his lips moved on their own accord to form a small, honest smile._

_Tsuna._

_Tightly embraced in his arms, the young heir laid with his head just under Xanxus' chin, messy hair tickling the man softly as he breathed. Small hands folded on both sides of his head grabbed two pieces of the thin blanket's end to keep him and Xanxus covered comfortably. Swift acknowledgment of the situation left Xanxus feeling just content enough to simply curl further into the younger body's warmth and ditch the meeting he probably could do without._

_But it seemed the world had a different idea as to what should or shouldn't be. The assassin's small movement combined with the soft beeping sound of the alarm still going off for the minute was enough to stir the second occupant of the small room, causing him to slowly lift his head up in the cutest lazy motion and his eyes to meet Xanxus' own. For someone not used to waking up on other people or even seeing someone in his bed the first thing after he wakes up, the young Vongola didn't seem to even care much. Just like Xanxus, he was drawn to the warmth and comfort of the body pressed to his own. It was a nice feeling, and Xanxus could easily read his expression._

_Fiery brown eyes were still locked with his dark ones, questioning the disturbance in what could have possibly been the best sleep he had ever had. Figuring that delaying waking up any further will just cause people to come banging on the door, the man sighted and gave one final squeeze with his arms around the small shoulders and whispered a soft, "Good morning."_

_He wasn't prepared for the sweet smile that assaulted his tired mind and Tsuna, in his own probably half asleep state, climbed effortlessly to press the softest kiss on Xanxus' lips._

And look where he was now. Just waiting the long minutes for the dull meeting to end, 'Relocating to the still standing South Base', 'Elections or closest to the blood line for a replacement of the Boss', 'How to build the empire back...'. It went on forever, and they never bothered with Xanxus anyway. His branch was probably the least affected, the most complete of Vongola currently, the most useful one as well. By far. The self managing Varia, with only a need for a list of names for them to do what they were trained for.

He couldn't even seem to argue with them when they declared he couldn't be the Boss now. Even after finding out a few years back he was, in fact, of Vongola blood, somewhere down the line of the second Boss, the Varia leader knew it was too late for him to change his position in the Family. Maybe ten years ago, he could have gone peacefully and even enjoy the training the heirs needed to take control of all Vongola affairs. But now... after Tsuna's death, after the almost fall of Vongola, he just couldn't see himself go through with it. He didn't want the constant reminder of what he couldn't have anymore.

While resigned to the fact he will lose Tsuna again soon, it wasn't something Xanxus was looking forward to happen.

* * *

><p>5\6 probably the longest on this story so far, done :] (it was late when I reread this, so hopefully I didn't miss anything...)<p>

Well, this was difficult to write. Had to change it a few times, had to stop and change plans for the last chapter as well, which is why it took as long as it had. Last chapter will be up sometime this week, possibly around the weekend. All the changes left everything in that one a bit of a mess and I'll have to fix a lot to get to the point I want this story to end in. Didn't know I didn't like the ending until I finished this chapter, then I had to go back and remake a lot of what I've already written. Almost added another chapter.

You can fill in the blanks for this chapter if you want, I left it because I thought some wouldn't appreciate 14 years old Tsuna going too far with 34 years old Xanxus. Nothing to do about the gap, but while Tsuna is still underage it might seem a bit... forced.

Spoiler: Next chapter you'll get a lemon, and it won't be underage. I think I said enough.

Until next time then.


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